Death of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
by MarbleGlove
Summary: All is not as it seems, and Methos is a grand manipulator. Set in Bordeaux, after it’s all over. OneShot


PG All is not as it seems, and Methos is a grand manipulator. Set in Bordeaux, after it's all over.

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters mentioned herein.

A/N: Smile if you catch the crossover reference. :-)

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Death of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

by MarbleGlove

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Methos was curled into a fetal position and crying. His tears were a release for so much tension and anger and self-hatred. As much as he was aware of it, Methos was glad when Duncan MacLeod finally left, but he didn't make any response when another presence came in. Even when the other person settled down on the floor and pulled him into his lap, Methos continued to cry until he was completely cried out.

Finally Methos allowed himself to be calmed by the gentle rocking and the voice saying, "Shh, shh, it's all right, everything will be all right."

After what seemed like a calm peaceful eternity of being soothed like a child, Methos spoke, though he didn't move or open his eyes and the rocking continued. "It was necessary, wasn't it?"

"You know it was. You wouldn't have done it, nor I asked it of you if it were otherwise."

"You shouldn't be here."

"I know. But you always drive yourself so hard, think yourself capable of taking anything. I hate seeing you like this."

"But it was necessary?"

"Yes, it was necessary. Ever since fingerprints began to be used for identification, hiding immortality became a losing battle. Eventually immortals will be discovered. Probably soon. And when that happens the watcher chronicles will be found by various governments. Before that happens all of us with unpleasant histories have to die. Otherwise we'll be hunted and executed."

"I know. You and the others had to die publicly to avoid dying privately. But I feel like I betrayed my children. Do you remember the story in the Old Testament where the God turns the Pharaoh's heart against the Jews so that He would have an excuse to kill the Pharaoh's army?"

"Yes. But then you knew this day would come long before I asked you to plan it. Ever since you gave that pre-immortal Montoya who looked like me a scar to match mine."

"Am I good for anything more than betrayals? I mean, we found those other two and I personally molded them all to my purpose so that they could die."

"You are good for everything. Do you think the rest of us, we three could have survived this long without you?"

"Or me without you and the other two. I do love you, brother."

"I know, and I love you."

They sat like that in silence for a while, gently rocking back and forth, breathing in sync.

Methos' brother finally broke the silence with a question. "Will everyone buy it?"

"Yes. Cassandra is going through a breakdown. She was too lost in her own flashbacks to notice the discrepancies. She'll either be killed or recover her sanity, but she'll never have coherent memories of this time. And Mac, Mac never gets many memories out of a quickening. And Caspian's double was both old and insane. Montoya, Koren, your double was young enough that Mac might have noticed that it couldn't be you, but that's why I forced a double quickening. I gave him a bunch of my memories from the horseman days. He'll never notice the difference."

"It was hard watching you share a quickening with someone who was not your brother."

"It felt odd to do so. But the link Mac and I share is tenuous at best compared to what we four have. You needn't be jealous."

"Then I won't be. I love you, brother."

"I haven't been able to see any of you in so long, tell me how you are, and how the other are."

"Well. As you know, I'm a research MD in New York. I really do like medicine and the study of diseases. The watchers consider me one of the good guys: barely over three centuries, always helping the sick and injured. I enjoy my life.

"Caspian is in DC working for the CIA. An anti-terrorist specialist. He's good at it and is trying to build up a good military record for his watcher chronicle which lists him as not quite 500. He likes it that to the watchers, and most of the world, he is the eldest of us. I think he finds his current life interesting but is thinking of moving along to a new life as a gourmand in the next couple years."

"He always has like cooking. Even when he was embarrassed at it being woman's work. I've never met any other cannibal who just plain liked food in all of it's varieties."

"Yeah." Kronos snorted quietly in amusement at the thought of the youngest of the four of them, and his love of food, with almost anything coming under the category of potential food. Especially given their immortal healing. He laughed again, and then continued in his recitation.

"Silas is on his horse ranch in New Mexico. The watchers think that's where he was raised as a kid, about 2 centuries ago. He told me to tell you that one of the white mares is going to foal soon. If you go there you can train the colt or filly."

"There are things I still need to do here."

"But once those are over, go to Silas at the ranch. I'll visit and Caspian might come too. You need some time to just be yourself."

"Okay. You're right. Just hold me for now and I'll be there by next week."

"I would hold you forever."


End file.
